Learning to Live
by EighteenFan
Summary: Being an android isn't all it's cracked up to be, you don't have to tell 18. Read the story of how 18 got her life back together, learning of life's difficulties and how to get through them.
1. Prologue

I do not own Dragon Ball Z or its characters.

F.Y.I. - You might have to really love 18 to enjoy this story, just thought I'd throw that out there.

**Prologue**

You may think that I'm insane, and you're probably right. I used to be normal like everyone else, at least that's what I presume. But things took a turn for the worse, and here I am. What kind of person could say they've been through my experiences? I'll tell you, no one. I suppose that doesn't really matter now, what's done is done. Thanks to Dr. Gero, I'm what you could call an abomination. Abomination - noun - _anything greatly disliked or abhorred_. That pretty much sums it up. I can never forgive him for what he's done. But without him, I probably wouldn't be where I am right now. For some reason, though, I can't help but think about what my life would be like if...Dr. Gero chose someone else. Would I have been happier? Doubt it. Things certainly would have been different, though.

When I walk down the street, people try to pick me up. I'm not going to deny that fact, it's no lie. All they see is my appearance, my beauty. But concealed behind this "beauty" is a cold and ruthless monster. They don't realize that I have the power to wipe the human race off the planet, no they certainly do not. My new life has been full of misunderstandings and questions that I will never be able to answer. I've been reset. Everything I knew of my past was gone, taken from me forever. I barely remembered how to do anything, such as function in society. Dr. Gero installed a chip to allow certain functions such as knowledge to talk, eat, sleep, dress, and destroy others.

What I'm going to share with you, you might not find interesting. It's the story of how I got my life back together. I've now learned that you can not have happiness without some kind of tragedy or breakthrough. Here is my tragedy and my breakthrough.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The sun held high in the sky on a fine Sunday afternoon. Everyone bustled through the streets of the city, eager to get their fun in before they had to return to school and work. Turns out people didn't care about the planet as much as they claimed on television, the city was filthy. Trash cans filled to the brim were located on every street corner. Scattered papers and other trashy objects fell from the cans and made their way throughout the street. Old posters and papers hung on telephone poles and buildings began falling to the ground. One paper in particular fell from the wall it was taped to. It traveled with the wind until it reached a crowded bus stop. Just as the wind started to pick up again, the paper was slammed to the ground by a foot.

Staying out of the crowd's way, Android 18 bent down and picked up the paper. She took a seat on the bus stop bench and examined the aged paper. It was a wanted poster. Staring deeply at the photo displayed on the poster, 18 realized it was like looking into a mirror. Yes, 18 had made it big, showing up all over the streets on wanted posters.

"Gee, haven't seen her around for a while," a man said. He shared the bench with 18 and peered over her shoulder, staring at the familiar wanted poster.

18 turned her head and said, "She's probably long gone."

The man smiled. "Good thing, too. Those twins really scared my daughter when she heard they were on a killing rampage."

"I wouldn't call it a killing rampage," 18 stated coldly.

"Right," he said, "I'll leave you to it, then." He turned his head away and continued waiting for the bus in silence.

18 folded the poster and shoved it in her coat pocket. She noticed a few stray strands of her blonde hair coming out the front of her hat. Discretely, 18 tucked every piece of her hair inside the hat and adjusted it. For the past three months, 18 had been living in hiding. To the best of her potential, 18 left everything behind as soon as she jumped off the large platform in the sky, or The Lookout as they liked to call it. It didn't escape her that she was given a second chance at a new life. It was a sign that she was made for more, right?

But who did she have to thank for that?

"Hey, lady! Are you getting on or not?" The bus driver sat angrily in his seat, prepared to slam the doors shut.

18 sighed and boarded the bus. She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a handful of change. The box containing the fare read '50 cents'. Examining the assorted coins lying in hand, 18 picked out two of the largest ones and dropped them into the box. The bus driver groaned and shut the doors as the bus began to roll down the street.

The bus itself was full of passengers as usual, but 18 was lucky enough to find an empty seat for herself. She sat down on the germ infested chair and put her arm up on the arm rest. Boy did she hate public transportation. Only a few days ago had she realized that the coins were of different values. She tried to pay for the 50 cent bus ride with two pennies and a dime. Fortunately that bus driver was kind enough to give her a freebie. On that day, 18 examined the coins and took the time to read the carvings. The same with dollar bills. Sure she noticed there were different people on different bills, but it's not like it really meant anything to her. Besides, she hardly had any money to even notice.

Where she was headed was undetermined. 18 had no real home to go to, nobody to even go home to. All she had were the clothes on her back and some spare change. Flying seemed to work when she decided to go in and out of the city, up until people noticed and called her out. Once she was almost caught and turned into the police. The people of the city made no mistake in recognizing her from the wanted posters, and didn't hesitate in turning her into the cops. With everything she was coping with, 18 didn't want to have to deal with the police. Sure she could just swat them away like flies, but that would involve those fighters seeing reports on the television.

Nope, no longer was she going to be careless. That's why she had the whole disguise going for her. A few stolen hats and coats here and there, but that was the extent of her criminal ways...with the exception of food. She had to eat somehow, and sometimes you have to go against what's right to fulfill your needs. That was her philosophy.

In the real world, 18 didn't exist anymore. Nobody recognized her while wearing the disguise, so she's been left alone ever since the battle with Cell. But occasionally, 18 would wander out in the forest and train for a bit. Only when alone could she truly be herself. She could fly for as long as she wanted, and even blast some trees when she wanted. The only thing bothering her was the fact that when she trained, memories continued to flood into her head. It was all too familiar, so when training, she could not forget. It reminded her of where she came from, what her first purpose in the world was. When in a good mood, 18 likes to think of those as the "glory days," even if they weren't so glorious.

"Excuse me, miss? Do you mind? Everywhere else is full," came a deep voice.

18 shrugged her shoulders. "I don't care."

A tall man stood in the aisle of the bus. He breathed a sigh of relief and took a seat next to 18 when she accepted. After a short silence, he reached his hand over. "I'm Shane."

"I'm taken," 18 replied coldly. She turned and gave him a look of disgust, eyebrow raised.

Shane shoved his hand in his pocket and sighed. Oh the joys of little white lies. Without acknowledging his presence again, 18 continued exploring her thoughts on the bus ride to nowhere.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_Unaware of his surroundings, a familiar bald man walked to the edge of the beach. Without hesitation, he dove into the crystal blue water. Soon everything around him was a captivating blue, and he found himself sinking. Deeper and deeper he went underwater. Then he panicked, he was running out of air. He struggled to reach the surface, but found it growing farther and farther away. Unable to control himself, his mouth opened, trying to pull in air that wasn't there. Just when he thought all was going to end, he felt relief in his lungs. What? Breathing underwater?_

_He inhaled and exhaled deeply, then sighed. The man tried again to swim up to the surface, but to no avail. Giving up hope, he rested his body as it continued to sink lower. As he began nodding off, he heard a strange sound. Unable to make out what the muffled noise was, he closed his eyes in concentration._

_It came again, but this time clearer. "Come." That was all he could understand. Quickly he turned his head, searching for the source. In the distance he saw the entrance to a small cavern, surrounded by coral. Considering it was the only place in range, he decided to take the chance and check it out. He started out slow, then began picking up speed. The sound came again and again, clearer each time. Soon he managed to understand._

_"Come find me." He didn't understand why this person wanted for him to find them, but he continued swimming. The voice sounded all too familiar. When it came again, he closed his eyes. "Come find me," said the voice. It sounded alluring, enchanting, and above of all feminine._

_Only one picture popped into his head once he heard the voice. It was 18. As soon as he concentrated he knew it was her. She wanted him to find her._

_The calls came again, this time sounding more desperate. He put more power into his strokes, and finally made it to the entrance. Growing impatient, he forced himself quickly into the cavern. His head popped up through the surface and he climbed onto land. Wringing out his clothing, he saw two figures standing before him, backs turned._

_"Krillin," they said in unison. Their voices echoed through the cavern, sending chills down his spine._

_"Who are you?" he asked, trying to get a better look._

_Then, the two turned around to face him. There stood Android 18 and Goku. He couldn't help but smile at their presence, but noticed an eeriness emanating from them. They seemed almost faded in appearance, like they would disappear with the slightest touch._

_Carefully, he took a step forward. "I can't believe it," he said. As his foot found its way back to the ground, everything seemed to fall apart. Loud crashing could be heard from behind. He turned his head in shock and saw the cavern beginning to cave in. Large pieces of the ceiling crashed down to the ground, cutting off the exit._

_He turned back to Goku and 18 with worry, but they were unphased. Soon large amounts of rubble fell from the ceiling, surrounding the three._

_"Krillin," they repeated. "Save us."_

_"Me, save you? You've got to be kidding! Come on, let's go!" he said, prepared to leave._

_As he ran towards them, he grabbed both of their hands and tugged. Neither moved._

_"You must choose one of us, Krillin," they said._

_His eyes widened with fear and panic. "Quit messing around, guys! We all have to leave now!"_

_"Choose now, Krillin," they demanded._

_He shifted his eyes back and forth between the two. How could he choose between the most important people of his life? Beads of sweat began forming at the peak of his forehead. He hung his head down in shame and didn't respond._

_"You betrayed me, Krillin," they said. Then everything faded away as the cavern's roof collapsed on its occupants._

Krillin awoke in a state of panic. A thin layer of sweat covered his bald head, increasing the regular shine. He rolled out of bed and made his way to the window. Cracking the window open, Krillin inhaled the fresh aroma of salt. No matter how long he lived there, he would never get sick of the refreshing ocean scent. The sun hung high in the center of the sky, beating down on the earth. He calculated that it be about noon, and affirmed his guess when laying eyes on the clock.

His stomach groaned with desire. Krillin walked sluggishly down the stairs and headed to the kitchen. As he approached the refrigerator, Krillin spotted a small sticky note hung next to the handle.

'_Krillin,_

_Oolong and I have headed to town for a few days. Don't fret, we've gone strictly for business purposes...Anyways, you might want to head into town to pick up some groceries. Besides, it will do you some good, you need to get out more. So have fun and we'll see you when we get back._

_- Master Roshi_'

Sounds like Master Roshi to leave the house after he emptied out the fridge. Krillin swung the door of the fridge open to find empty cartons of juice and containers of old leftovers. After realizing he had no alternative, Krillin hiked back upstairs and went to the bathroom for a quick shower.

It's been days since he's stepped outside, but it's felt like an eternity. What more did he have to live for? That was the question he pondered every day for the past three months. What good was living in times of peace when you don't have a reason for living? Unable to help it, Krillin continued to pick away at himself. Ever since Goku died, it's like Krillin wasn't even part of the gang. Everyone else moved on, trying to make the best of their lives. It's been ages since they've gotten together, let alone contact him. Unless there's a huge crisis that needs to be taken care of, he never sees them.

Then there was 18. She was sophisticated, powerful, beautiful...and he fell for her. As soon as she placed that one kiss on his cheek, she became his top priority. He knew then on that he wanted to give her everything, even if she didn't ask. Something about her made him lose himself. When she came into his mind, he felt that he couldn't survive without her. It drove him mad.

His heart began to race just at the mere thought of her. Over the past few months, his crush had developed into deep infatuation. But nobody else understood, not even his closest friends. They thought he was crazy, and assumed he was still in shock after Goku's sacrifice. But he knew what he wanted, what he felt. Too bad nothing was ever going to change, he would remain lonely forever.

To top it all off, he received a visit from Maron. It was brief, but just as painful as he expected. She was just as he remembered, whiney and disgustingly needy. Maron had called to let Krillin know she still had a few random things of his that she had at her apartment.

"Keep it, I don't want it," Krillin had said. It was true, he didn't want anything. Even if he did, that would mean her coming back to Kame Island. And now that he thought about it, she didn't even feel real. It was as if her existence was something merely out of a dream.

Krillin opened the front door and flew towards town. In about five minutes time, Krillin set foot on the streets of the busiest city nearby. "Great," he said as he landed, "I had to come to town on its busiest day." He headed down the street towards the market, tossing the money around in his pocket. Up ahead he heard a loud voice that seemed to stick out from all the rest.

"Hey, lady! Are you getting on or not?"

He saw someone waiting at the bus stop, although the bus was right in front of them. Quietly, he made his way around the bench. He heard her sigh, and for some reason he felt connected. It satisfied him to know that he wasn't the only one out there suffering. As the woman boarded the bus, Krillin noticed a few strands of hair poking out the back of her hat. He laid eyes on the blonde hair and couldn't help but think of 18.

'_Stop it, Krillin. Just get the damn groceries._' Krillin proceeded to the grocery store. But he knew as soon as he got the food he needed, he probably wouldn't be stepping outside again for a while. Maybe being lonely did have its perks.


	4. Chapter 3

**I AM SO SORRY! I haven't updated in FOREVER. The folder I keep all of my DBZ things in such as pics, fics, videos, etc. was somehow deleted. After spending a few hours crying about it, I realized I had a copy on my flash drive. Too bad that the flash drive only had the first chapter of the story...And whatever I had written for this chapter was completely gone. I hope this won't happen again, and I'm so sorry.**

**Chapter 3**

"Sorry lady, this is my last stop." The bus driver looked over his shoulder at 18, giving her an exhausted look. She sighed and nodded her head. Normally she would have threatened him to continue driving for a little while longer, but she understood. Slowly, 18 went step by step down the stairs of the bus and onto the sidewalk. 18 made her way under the tall streetlamp, illuminating the darkness of the night. The roar of the bus' engines started up, rolling down the street and out of sight. 18 examined her surroundings, trying to pinpoint her location. Turns out the bus driver's route ended a few blocks down from where she boarded. Everything was quiet, there wasn't another soul lurking around. She figured they were all out doing something important with their lives.

Directly behind where she was standing, 18 took notice of the small boutique. She approached the large glass window which protected the inside displays, and pulled her hat from her head. The streetlamp gave off just enough light for 18 to see her reflection in the window. This time, when 18 laid eyes on herself, she felt disgusted. Her silky blonde hair was hidden underneath a layer of grease, increasing the shine. From head to toe, she was coated in a light coating of dirt and grime. Showers were unobtainable at the moment, and seemed like they would be for a long time to come.

Normally when looking in the mirror, 18 felt one thing: pride. She was very proud and confident in her appearance, never would she let herself slip. When in tight situations, she did the best with what she could. Her thoughts reflected back to her fight with the Saiyan, Vegeta. It left her clothing considerably damaged, but she still managed to look great. A sick feeling overwhelmed her when she stared deeply at her reflection. This was not who she wanted to be, she refused!

**CRASH! **18 pulled her hand back as she examined the gaping hole in the glass. Droplets of blood formed in various places on the surface of her skin. Pieces of glass fell to the ground, making a loud crashing sound. But that sound didn't even compare to the ear-piercing noise erupting from the inside of the store. The alarm sounded just as 18's hand made contact with the glass.

The blood trickled down her hand and dripped onto the ground. She sighed. Merely seconds later, flashing lights appeared down the end of the street. Two cop cars were quickly approaching the source of the alarm. The cars pulled up in front of the store, and the doors flung open. The policemen stood behind their car doors, aiming their guns at 18.

"It's her! The one from the wanted posters!" one cop announced.

Shit, she forgot to put her hat back on. She turned her body to face them completely and let out another deep sigh. 18's lips curled into a small smirk as she began levitating in the air. Before the cops could say another word, she was off. She mentally cursed herself for her stupidity, that was the last thing she needed. 18 brushed her hand up against her black vest, wiping off the blood.

As always, she had no planned destination. It didn't matter where she went as long as she was alone. Without realizing it, 18 had made it to the coast. Underneath her was the ocean, calm and peaceful. Minutes had passed, although it seemed like hours. 18 felt her head and eyelids growing heavy. Her body unconsciously began to descend, only to steady herself after making contact with the water.

18 flew until she could fly no more. She saw a small and seemingly deserted island up ahead. With no other alternative, she took the chance. With a loud thud, 18 made contact with the ground. Her body glided down from the sky, parallel to the sandy beach. Making no effort to keep clean, 18 collapsed down on the ground. Taking in deep breath, 18 closed her eyes and drifted into her own world of dreams.


End file.
